Mr. Speaker, I rise today to salute the Federation of Canadian Municipalities whose representatives were on the Hill today to release their report on the needs of rural communities, which is titled, “Wake-Up Call: The National Vision and Voice We Need for Rural Canada”.
Our rural communities and the industries that support them have been hit hard by the Conservative recession. Whether it is forestry, fisheries, agriculture, mining or tourism, the federal government needs to step up and do more to support these vital sectors during the downturn. A true recovery for Canada will only be achieved when the economy of rural Canada begins firing on all cylinders again. It is critical that the government stop taking rural Canada for granted and finally come forward with a focused strategy to address the many issues facing rural Canada.
We offer our thanks to the FCM representatives who have brought their message to Ottawa today.
We need action more than ever. The future of Canada relies on our rural regions.